The owner of a Welsh beauty spot is warning influencers to stay away after he claims the hordes of selfie takers had caused damage to the area. The owner now claims he intends to “decommission the reservoir” unless he gets support from authorities.
Brombil Reservoir, close to Port Talbot in South Wales became a viral hit on platforms such as TikTok where it was dubbed a ‘hidden gem’. Numerous videos show influencers wandering down the woodland paths towards the turquoise coloured water and even taking a dip in the clear reservoir.
But the owners of the site have had enough of selfie takers and have warned visitors to ‘stay away’ unless they’re willing to pay a £2 fee to enter.
The beauty spot was bought in February 2023 for £15,000 and put back up for sale an hour later for £30,000, although it’s not clear if it was sold a second time. This means Brombil Reservoir is a privately-owned area.
Its website has a stern statement: “Our long-term goal is to safely open this site for community health and well-being. However, the reservoir is currently a high-risk infrastructure site and remains private property.
“For your own safety, we strictly discourage public access at this time, and all entry is entirely at your own risk. Managing this site requires significant private funding for environmental protection and flood maintenance. If you choose to visit, please support our conservation efforts by paying our £2 site maintenance fee.
“These funds go directly toward clearing rubbish, cutting vegetation, cleaning flood channel, protecting local biodiversity, and repairing structural damage etc.”
It goes on to warn: “Unauthorized activities on these premises are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to initiate legal proceedings against any individual or organisation acting without prior written consent.”
The BBC has previously reported that locals close to the reservoir have complained about parking issues and litter caused by the influx of visitors, with pictures issued by South Wales Police showing cars parked on both sides of the road. In a statement at the time, the council said: “It has led to frequent blocked access and severe parking problems for local residents and access for any emergency vehicles has often become blocked”, adding that “there are also issues involving littering and dog mess”.
When contacted for comment, owner Fez Malik claimed that the reservoir also functioned as a barrier to floods in the area and complained: “I am not getting any support to maintain the reservoir with increased regulation from government and Natural Resources Wales resulting in more work and tens of thousands of pounds to spend. I’m intending to decommission the reservoir should both local, Welsh and central government not step in and support it.”
He added: “I am asking visitors to stay away as they cause damage to the reservoir which is a private property unless visitors are prepared to pay entry fee towards maintenance.”
He clarified the reason for asking for £2 to enter the area: “I am asking visitors to stay away as they cause damage to the reservoir which is a private property unless visitors are prepared to pay entry fee towards maintenance.”
Fez also claimed: “We have already levied penalties on visitors that had not paid for the entry and are currently taking action against some more “
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This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
